Foreign Minister praised the people and organisations that provide humanitarian aid

19.08.2016

As today is World Humanitarian Day, Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand praised the people and organisations engaged in the provision of humanitarian aid.

“The number of people who need aid is increasing in today’s complicated situation and we cannot ignore this – helping people in need is our joint moral obligation,” said the Foreign Minister. “We must do everything we can to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who needs it. Today is the right time to remember all the people who help alleviate humanitarian crises, and to praise and thank them for everything they have done.”

Ukraine continues to be the focus of Estonian humanitarian aid in 2016 similar to the previous year, and attention is also given to those in the vicinity of Syria, i.e. in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. Estonia also contributes to the alleviation of the situation of refugees in Turkey via bilateral projects and international humanitarian aid organisations.

Estonia has also helped eliminate the consequences of natural disasters. Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported Nepal after it suffered an earthquake, the storm-ravaged small island countries of Vanuatu and Tuvalu, and people in Europe following the drought caused by El Niño. Experts of the Estonian rescue team participated in missions to prevent the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone and alleviate the consequences of a tropical storm in Oman and Yemen.

The humanitarian aid budget of Estonia for this year is 3.2 million euros. Over 10 million euros was allocated to humanitarian aid from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2011-2015. The main local partners in the provision of humanitarian aid have been the Rescue Board, the Health Board, the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences and NGOs Mondo, Estonian Refugee Council and Ukrainian Cultural Centre.

The theme of World Humanitarian Day 2016 is One Humanity. Further information about the World Humanitarian Day is available atwww.worldhumanitarianday.org.